The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Sadiq Umar

  • NBF to name team for Olympics Qualifiers February 29

    The final list of ten-man boxing team that will represent Nigeria at the Olympics Qualification tournament in Yaounde, Cameroun will be unveiled on Monday February 29.

    According to the national coach, Tony Konyegwachie, the ongoing trials would help the technical crew to assess the boxers with the aim of picking seven male and three female that will make the trip to Cameroun for the qualifiers scheduled for March 8 and 20, 2016.

    “I want to tell you that we are satisfied with the quality of boxers in camp and we will continue to assess them until we pick the final list on February 29. The boxers are giving good account of themselves and without any doubt we hope to present a formidable team for the qualifiers. for now, we will keep them together until after the final selection when some of them will be decamped to give way for the final phase of preparation before departure for the championship in Cameroun,” Konyegwachie said.

    From the trials conducted at the weekend, England-based Sadiq Umar defeated Danuloko Ekele and Ademuyiwa Kehinde, while Efetobor Apochi also gave a good account of himself.

    There are more trials to be conducted before some of the boxers are decamped to give room for the final phase of the training.

    Among the female boxers in camp are Congo Brazzaville 2015 African Games gold medalist, Edith Ogoke-Agu and her two other colleagues from the Nigerian Army, Kehinde Obareh and Caroline Linus.

    The invited boxers is made up of 18 male and four female and this includes another 2015 African Games gold medalist, Efe Ajagba and silver medalist, Apochi Efetobor while Muyideen Oyakojo, Dauda Azeez, Soyoye Kazeem, Oladosu Rilwan, Femi Oyeleye, Abua Christian, Korede Adeniyi, Ademuyiwa Kehinde, Ayodele Mike, Danuloko Ekele, Rahmon  Rasak and Kenneth Rolands.

    Also in camp are two foreign-based boxers, Sadiq Umar  and Gabriel Francis (Belgium) who is to battle Efetobor Apochi in the heavyweight category are among the boxers while Toyin Oladeji, Falilat Tijani and Jacinta Umunakwe completes the list of female boxers..

    Konyegwachie, Adura Olalehin, Sabo Mohammed, Ossai Christopher and Jeremiah Okorodudu are the five coaches selected to train the athletes in camp.

  • Sadiq Umar: I want to fight for Nigeria

    Sadiq Umar: I want to fight for Nigeria

    AT only 24 years of age, he is lanky and athletic, but with a very tall ambition. Umar Sadiq, a Nigeria-born London-based amateur boxer exudes determination and extra-ordinary ambition. Born by a Kano State father and a Benue State mother, Sadiq is a member of the famous Repton Boxing Club of England, the club he represented at the just-concluded Annual International Boxing Championship against the Lagos State amateur boxing team.

    As usual, it was a two-phased contest between both sides, and Sadiq had the opportunity to compete in both phases, winning his bouts against Muri Sango and Wasiu Balogun respectively in the 81kg weight category. While the first phase is usually held at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Grand Ballroom, Victoria Island, Lagos which is usually a dinner with six bouts of exciting boxing lined up, the second phase this year took place at the basketball hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, which serves as the grand finale.

    Sadiq stole the show with some entertaining yet accurate boxing skills in front of a packed hall which included dignitaries on both occasions. He had a way of working past his opponents with ease, reminding one of the legendary boxer, Mohammed Ali.

    Stuck between representing Nigeria and England, Sadiq is a graduate of accounting and intends to pursue a career as a finance executive in the nearest future.

    He said: “I moved to England as a kid when my dad passed away. I have spent a better part of my life over there but I am proud to be a Nigerian. I box for Repton Boxing Club which is the most famous boxing club in the entire United Kingdom. That’s who I am. I am a graduate of accounting. The national team coach Joe Mensah knows me well. I know he is proud of my performance today (On Thursday at the International Boxing Championship)”.

    The dark-skinned boxer is indifferent about what boxing holds for him in the future, but insists that he has other options to life and that his destiny is not tied to boxing. He however stated that he is one of the best amateur boxers around.

    “I want to continue as an amateur boxer, and if I am to turn professional, I’ll turn professional and if not…, but I still have plenty of things to do as an amateur boxer. I want to represent England or Nigeria whichever, I don’t really mind. I have been in Nigeria a couple of times, the people accept me and I love them too. I don’t know what I might be doing next but I want to take it one step at a time. I am a graduate and have so many business ideas apart from boxing. Boxing is not my only hope in life.

    “I do it because I love it. I dedicate my life to the sport; I eat well and train very hard. Like you can see, I enjoyed myself in this year’s competition, so I just take the day as it comes. If boxing takes off, it takes off, if not I have options in life. I am hoping to work anywhere in the world and make good money. Success motivates me a lot. I love anything that is flashy, expensive and extravagant, and above all I need money,” Sadiq said.

    Recalling his worst moments as an amateur boxer, Sadiq takes this reporter through his ordeal, trying to start up as a boxer. He explained how much he hates being on the losing side and how he gets hurt each time he loses a bout. And on moments he looks back and revels, he said they are countless especially when he wins bouts as a boxer.

    “I lost my first ever fight. Before I started boxing I used to train for fitness. The only reason I took up boxing is that I used to beat up a lot of good boxers in the gym, and I decided to try and see how it would go. When I lost my first major fight that was in 2008, I said to myself ‘I am one of the best and I shouldn’t be losing bouts,’ I became very confident about that. I don’t just have a memorable moment; I have so many. I have won a couple of fights too and getting a gold medal is always a good feeling,” he said.

    His mother is presently in the United Kingdom and hopes to return soon to take him round his family members before he returns.

    On his dreams to fight at the Olympics Sadiq said:”I was at the Nigerian camp ahead of the London Olympics but could not make it due to injuries. That was not to say I was guaranteed to make the Olympics squad, but there’s always a next time. I know everybody in the Nigeria boxing squad, I lived with them for six weeks, we trained twice a day, they know me very well, they have my number and address and I am a phone call away.”

    “I work in an organisation that takes care of disabled people in the United Kingdom, besides that I box and when business opportunities come I take them. I have prospects both in the United Kingdom and Nigeria, I think I am one of the best boxers. Anywhere I go I never feel that anybody is too good for me to fight. I have beaten people who have 200 fights when I only have twelve. I am confident and I do not really care. I was born in Nigeria and I will love to represent my nation, but any way it goes will be fine. But I am a Nigerian and I am very proud of it,” he said.